Movie Capitals: On Location In... Edinburgh

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Edinburgh
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Located in the southeast of Scotland is the shining city of Edinburgh, the country’s history-rich capital. In normal times, millions flock here every year for the bustling nightlife and vibrant events such as The Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Military Tattoo, but the city offers plenty for film fans, too: its iconic architecture and local landmarks have featured in some of the most celebrated movies ever made. Join us on a tour of locations you can actually visit, stepping into the shoes of big-screen icons.

By Victoria Luxford

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Edinburgh.
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Edinburgh Waverley Station (Avengers: Infinity War, 2018) – Speaking of icons, how is this for an entrance! Chris Evans emerges mid-battle during the early scenes of the smash hit Avengers: Infinity War, revealed on a platform at the central Waverley Station. The transport hub and nearby Royal Mile play a vital part in the preceding battle between Vision (Paul Bettany), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and the minions of the evil Thanos (Josh Brolin), but it’s Evans’ arrival that draws a gasp. If you’re travelling to the city by train, chances are you may arrive at this famous station that sits beneath the elevated street level. Not everyone manages to look quite as epic as Cap emerging with their suitcases, but you can certainly try!

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Edinburgh.
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52 Cockburn Street, Old Town (Avengers: Infinity War, 2018) – The above sequence begins with a relatively sedate walk in Edinburgh’s Old Town, stopping by a shop you can visit in real life. Vision and Scarlet Witch stroll along the streets at night (the filmmakers put a rather vague subtitle of ‘SCOTLAND’ at the beginning of the scene) and discuss their future before being set upon by baddies. As they do so, they stop outside of Hüsnü Kebab House. In reality, the storefront houses the more sophisticated jewellery and gift boutique Miss Katie Cupcake. This means you can stop in for a browse while visiting a film location, situated on the historic street that will lead you through many of Edinburgh’s key landmarks.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Edinburgh.
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Forth Bridge (The Thirty-Nine Steps, 1935) – A much-loved classic from Alfred Hitchcock, this adaptation has all the hallmarks of the great director’s work during his emergence in the British film industry. A vital scene in this classic black-and-white spy thriller takes place on board The Flying Scotsman train, which makes a stop on Forth Bridge. It’s around nine miles outside of the city, but does carry trains between Aberdeen and Edinburgh, so it’s included on this list – and it’s one of our more spectacular entries. Inspirational to a number of artists over the years, a more recent use came when Edinburgh-based studio Rockstar Games included a virtual version of the bridge in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Edinburgh.
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Princes Street (Trainspotting, 1996) – If you’re looking for a famous use of the streets of Edinburgh, this is it. Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting threw a grenade into British cinema, which by the mid-’90s had become complacent with scores of rom-coms and costume dramas. The adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel was grim, hilarious and thoughtful, dealing with real-life issues that very few films had the guts to address at the time. Making a global star of Ewan McGregor, the future Jedi is seen in the very first shot of the film sprinting down Edinburgh’s Princes Street, evading capture from the police before laughing maniacally at a car that nearly hits him. If you’re after a more law-abiding experience, Princes Street remains Edinburgh’s prime shopping location with a number of department stores and fashion brands.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Edinburgh.
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Scott Monument (Cloud Atlas, 2012) – Situated opposite the shops of Princes Street, the Scott Monument is a grand tribute to celebrated author Sir Walter Scott, whose Waverley novels also inspired the name of the city’s train station. Its film connection comes from the Wachowski Sisters’ adaptation of Cloud Atlas, a multi-layered science-fiction drama starring Tom Hanks, Halle Berry and Ben Whishaw. It’s Whishaw who walks to the Scott Monument, recalling the first time he saw the love of his life (James Darcy) while on one of the structure’s viewing platforms. Those looking to do the same will find incredible views of the city from as central a location as you are likely to find.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Edinburgh.
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North East Circus Place, New Town, Edinburgh (Shallow Grave, 1994) – In dark comedy Shallow Grave, three friends living together in Edinburgh are torn apart when they find their new flatmate dead next to a whole lot of money. The flat in question is portrayed as being located on North East Circus Place in New Town. The timeless architecture of Edinburgh means you can probably match the building to the exterior shots in the film. Please don’t disturb the current residents, however – not only would it be rude, it would be pointless, as the interior flat scenes were filmed in a warehouse in Glasgow.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Edinburgh.
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Moray Place and Forres St (One Day, 2011) – One Day is a film that highlights much of Edinburgh, taking place in the city and telling the story of two university students (Jim Burgess and Anne Hathaway) who meet during on one day each year over the course of 20 years, always seeming to find their way back to each other. An intersection between Moray Place and Forres St is the spot of a climactic, passionate kiss – the most famous moment in this popular weepie. Whether or not you have someone to recreate it with, it’s a must-see for fans of the film.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Edinburgh.
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Edinburgh Castle (Filth, 2013) – If you’ll forgive the pun, Edinburgh Castle is the crown jewel of the city’s skyline and a startling place to visit in its own right. Though it’s appeared on film many times for a variety of reasons, it’s unlikely to have had anything quite like the introduction it enjoyed in 2013’s Filth. Another Irvine Welsh adaptation, James McAvoy’s corrupt copper bowls out of the unmistakable castle entrance and delivers an ode to Scotland, peppered with visual cues that speak to the tongue-in-cheek nature of the scene. Filth is a hard-going film, but if you’re a lover of its raw edge, the sight of the castle will bring back those striking first moments.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Edinburgh.
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Craigmillar Castle (Outlaw King, 2018) – Just three miles southeast of Edinburgh’s city centre, Craigmillar Castle played the home and village of Robert the Bruce (Chris Pine) in the dramatic historical epic Outlaw King. In real life, it was more associated with Mary Queen of Scots, who visited there for around a month in 1566; it later played host to other historical figures including James VI (Mary’s son) and Queen Victoria. Open to visitors, the castle offers a chance to walk into history, with the surroundings giving you an idea of why the 2018 film felt so authentic.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Edinburgh.
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Rosslyn Chapel (The Da Vinci Code, 2006) – A smash hit of the early 2000s, both Dan Brown’s book and Ron Howard’s film version of The Da Vinci Code feature Rosslyn Chapel prominently. Brown has described it as “the most mysterious and magical chapel on earth”, and a quick trip outside the city to Roslin, in the county of Midlothian, will reveal an astounding mid-15th-century building with connections to all kinds of historical theories that were perhaps the reason behind Brown’s enthusiasm. It is also where Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou discover the startling revelation at the close of the film. Given the continued popularity of the books, the chapel has added to its rich history as a cultural hotspot.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Edinburgh.
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Ross Fountain (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, 2020) – Sitting in West Princes Street Gardens, overlooked by Edinburgh Castle, Ross Fountain is an impossibly beautiful site and a popular destination for people to relax, take pictures and even propose marriage! Will Ferrell wasn’t quite as tranquil when he filmed a scene for last year’s comedy, as his irate Icelandic singer abuses a group of American tourists in the city.

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Edinburgh.
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Harvey Nichols Restaurant (T2: Trainspotting, 2017) – We end with a return to the world of Trainspotting. Set 20 years after the events of the first film, Renton (Ewan McGregor) comes back to Edinburgh to face his past. He repeats his infamous “Choose Life” speech, now changed to reflect the character’s journey. While in the first film he narrates a montage of his misdeeds, here he tells it to new character Veronika (Anjela Nedyalkova) in the comfy surroundings of Harvey Nichols’ Edinburgh store. It offers fine dining and a comprehensive view of Edinburgh, but we suggest not reciting the foul-mouthed speech too loudly!

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Movie Capitals: On Location In… Edinburgh

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